Bologna

A couple of weekends ago we took the high-speeed train North to Bologna. Sadly, many Americans leave Bologna off their list of must-see cities when traveling in Italy. Its close proximity to more famous cities, namely Florence and Milan, causes travelers to mistakenly bypass this vibrant city.

Bologna is a bustling medieval city with a colorful population, and a wealth of historical sites. It is home to the oldest university in Europe, and people from all over Europe have flocked here for centuries to pursue higher education. The university population swells to over 100,000 students when school is in session. I could go on and on about the wonders of Bologna, but I will spare you the long version.

Just a few of my favorite things about Bologna:

• Piazza Maggiore - The piazza is beautifully framed by the Basilica of San Petronino (clearly being renovated while we were there), and the Town Hall (Palazzo d'Accursio). I could sit at one of the outside cafes looking onto the piazza and people watch all day! AC ran in a circle in the piazza for over half an hour.

The Basilica of San Petronino

Palazzo d'Accursio

• Walking under the Arcades - There are over 38 kilometers of arcades in Bologna. Although the weather was beautiful when we were there, the arcades lend a certain ambience to the city. We tracked over 18,000 steps on our iPod nano while in Bologna, and enjoyed every single step. 

• The Twin Towers - Not those Twin Towers! The famous leaning towers built in the 12th century in the university district are certainly a sight to behold. We climbed the 498 not so sturdy steps of the taller, non-leaning Asinelli Tower (Torre degli Asinelli). The view from the top (97.2 meters) was simply amazing! Legend has it that one can see the Adriatic Sea and the Alps from the top of the tower. We saw neither, but the view was great nonetheless.

• Food - One of the most amusing things about living in Italy is the food. The cuisine differs between each region. I was told that by several people that Bologna has the best food in Italy (or the world depending on who you ask). Wait! I thought Campania had the best food! Who knows?! Some foods that are from this region are tortellini, parmesan cheese, Mortadella ham, and balsamic vinegar. Certainly heavier than the Neopolitan diet, that's for sure!

Aside from our day trip to Ferarri and Maranello, we also went to Modena. Modena is a great mid-size city to visit, and is mostly known for the Cathedral of Modena (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), and for being the birthplace of both Luciano Pavarotti and Enzo Ferarri. Clearly there's more to the city than this, but after a bus nearly took off the front end of our rental Fiat (causing us to back into another car!) we were ready to end our trip. 

Cathedral of Modena

Best antique market ever!

Have a Hoppy Easter!

From our family to yours!

Ferraris and Fiats

Ferrari.

The very mention of this word conjures up an immediate image of Italian luxury. Speed. Power. Prestige. Beauty. The world's finest automobile (or is that Lamborghini?).

Most people will only ever admire il Cavallino (the horse) from afar. And with a price tag of $250,000 it's highly unlikely that my humble husband will ever own one. Which is the exact reason I decided he HAD to drive one on his 30th birthday!

For Chief's birthday weekend, I planned a trip up to Bologna with an excursion to Ferrari Headquarters in Maranello. I thought I was being sly about him test driving one on his big day, but by the time we'd ventured into the Ferrari Museum the day before his birthday, he pretty much knew what was in store for him the next day. Oh well!

The smile that overtook his face as he pulled into the parking lot after driving the beast of a car was well worth it!

I loved that every car had a built in camera over the back seat, so that you could then purchase (of course!) a video of the drive. I edited the 20 minutes of driving into a short little snippet for your viewing pleasure. And no, the police officers do not ticket the Ferrari drivers in this little town!

Since we rode on the high-speed train to Bologna we had to get a rental car upon our arrival. Being the somewhat frugal girl that I am, I opted for the cheapest car available (2 door, manual). I was beyond delighted that Europcar set us up with a cute little Fiat 500. Chief, on the other hand, was not initially pleased with the "wind up car". Once he saw that we all fit in the car (comfortably I might add), as well as our luggage he became a little more open to the miniature vehicle. 

These little cars are perfect for zipping around a big city, and a part of me can't imagine anyone would need anything much bigger. No wonder these little Fiats are so popular in our crazy Napoli traffic. Also, after driving 200 kilometers over the weekend our micro gas tank was still half full. With gas close to $7 a gallon, that was the clincher for Chief deciding that he did appreciate the "wind up car". 

For good measure I am throwing in a picture of this cute face! She was so heartbroken when her Daddy pulled out of the Ferrari parking lot without her. For some reason she thought she'd be going with him in the "fast red car". Oooppps!

La Bella Vita

Lately, I have had several stateside American friends tell me how lucky I am to be living in Italy. La Bella Vita! For some reason Italy IS so romanticized in the eyes of Americans. Perhaps it's the history, culture, food/wine, and slower pace of life that gives the illusion that life is simply better in "The Boot".


The harsh reality I don't always mention to these gracious friends is that life in Italy (especially Naples) is often complicated and tough. Sure, I am an American adjusting to a new way of life, but even most Neapolitans will tell you that life can be hard in this city. While I have grown to love this area in more ways than I can imagine, there are also days I get fed up with the garbage, crime, and downright pushy behavior of Italians. I will never understand why people can't form a line! 

When a friend of mine recently showed me the following video I doubled over with laughter. This animated video pretty much sums up most of my frustrations in 5 minutes. Laughter is the best medicine!



At the end of the day I do realize that we are blessed in many ways. The breath-taking vistas, picturesque sunsets, and a glass (half full) of red wine make me realize that it is all worth it!

The Language of Friendship

One of the benefits of having a NATO assignment is the possibility of establishing friendships from all over the world. Since Chief is the only American in his office, his work friends come from every corner of globe Europe. 

Just days into his assignment here in Naples, Chief became fast friends with one of his Hungarian colleagues. Originally bonded over their deep, doting love of their adorable daughters, they quickly found other areas of common interest.  

Upon inviting them to our house for an "American" dinner we realized the great potential of our friendship. The landscape of their family looked much like ours, and we found common ground in the aspects of life that bind all cultures: food, family, friendship, faith, LOVE! 

AC played hard with her new friend Lina. The most surprising aspect of this new international friendship was their ability to communicate despite the fact that one spoke English and the other spoke Hungarian. Each set of parents found great joy in watching these two sweet natured girls play together, forging their friendship. Both completely unaware that the other is from a different dot on the globe, speaks a foreign language, has different customs, beliefs, and traditions. 

If only we could all see others with their eyes. 

It's Better to Keep Up...

Than to catch up!

But catching up is exactly what I am doing. Stay tuned I have lots of half written posts to publish!

Travel vs Vacation

In American English vernacular the words travel and vacation are often used interchangeably. After some experience with both traveling and vacationing I can indeed tell you that they are not synonyms.

No sir.

No way.

No how.

Traveling is usually a journey that involves going from one place to another. Traveling is a time to absorb culture (your own or another), learn history, and see sights. Although traveling is often fun, it is rarely relaxing.

A vacation more or less involves having a break from general duties and responsibilities; like work or school. Vacations are generally used for rest, relaxation, and recreation. For example, a week at the beach with your family, or a weekend at your in-laws' lake house are vacations. In general vacations perfect for reconnecting and strengthening bonds within families or friendships due to the fact that vacations are relatively stress-free.

Okay, okay... so a vacation from work might be used to travel somewhere, but in general they aren't synonymous verbs. Both traveling and vacationing are good for the soul and spirit, and will probably result in a more well-rounded person.

Last weekend we vacationed in Parco Nazionale d'Abruzzo (Abruzzo National Park), Italy's largest National Park. We filled our time wisely with a perfect balance of relaxation and recreation. Our trip brought us to the clean, quite, serene, town of Pescasseroli;  a tiny little town resting in the Apennine Mountains.

Despite the warm weather we were fortunate enough to find a ski slope with snow (albeit artificial). AC out skied all of us! We did some snowless snow tubing (only in Italy!), and got a taste of AC's thrill seeking, adventurous side. We rounded out the weekend with horseback and pony rides. Of course, there was good food and wine all weekend, and we AC even made some new friends along the way!

First with help!

Then with no help!

As always, check out more of our pictures under the Travel With Me tab at the top of the page.

School Days

AC started pre-school last week. My heart is heavy with the fact that my baby toddler is quickly growing into a little girl. I knew there would be a time when she would leave the comfort of our home and venture into the land of education. The only problem is, she was ready to go to school long before I was ready to let her go into the wild, wonderful world of preschool. In the end, I recognized it was better for me to help her spread her wings than to keep her caged (not that our house is anything like a cage). 

There are a wide array of pre-school options within a few kilometers of our house, and after checking out every last one of them we settled on a tiny little English speaking school run by an Italian mother-daughter team. The environment of her pre-school is so warm and welcoming that I really couldn't pass up the opportunity to send her there. With only 4 other children in her class she receives a lot of individual attention. The curriculum is fast moving and highly individualized for each child. 

Upon moving to Italy, I was adamant that AC would only attend an Italian speaking pre-school in order to pick up the language. I always have had a way of eating my words. Little did I realize that the high student-teacher ratio (18:1), and the overall quality of the Italian pre-schools were more likely to fuel my decision than the language that is spoken in the pre-school.  

AC is only in school 3 days a week right now, and so far she loves it. She talks for hours about school when she comes home, and kisses her teachers at the end of the day. As for me, I can say that I honestly miss her for the 5 hours she is in school. But...my house is cleaner, I now have time to work out, and I am now enrolled in an Italian class! A win for all!

1/3 of a Year

As I listened to AC scream about being in her car seat ALL the way home from Rome, I longed for the comfort of my own home. I realized that our villa and small community really feel like home. Feeling at home with your surroundings truly is a priceless piece in the puzzle of life, and is something that not all military families have the luxury of experiencing. It hit me on that drive home from Rome that Christmas Day marked our 4th month her in Italy. Four months of living in Italy...WOW!

Despite all the wonderful experiences and goods we have access to here in Italy, there are just certain aspects of American life that I miss. Nothing big, just small luxuries that make life a tiny bit better. I realize that the tradeoff of these luxuries is well worth it (from my standpoint), for the life we are living in Italy.

American luxuries I truly miss:

• Starbucks - Sure, Italy has some of the best coffee in the world, but I would do just about anything for a good cup of Starbucks. Comparing a cafe or cappucino that is available in an Italian bar to a skinny vanilla (better yet, a chia tea) latte is like comparing an apple to a kumquat; very different. We may have taken the number of Starbucks within a mile into consideration when choosing our housing in Georgia a year ago (3 thank you). I can tell you that I have to cross international borders (571 miles to be exact) in order to get some 'bucks now. 

• Target - Similar to Starbucks I miss Target (pronounced Tar-jay to me) in a bad way. I now consider wandering through Target to be not only a life luxury, but a personal hobby of mine. Although, not going to Target 2-4 times a week has done wonders on my wallet. 

• Bookstores - Amazon frequently gets business from our family, and I must say they are great. They are by far the best company to ship to FPO/APO addresses. As wonderful as internet shopping is, I miss the sensory experience involved in bookstore shopping and browsing. 

• The Library - We are fortunate to have access to a library on the Naval Support Site, but every time I walk through the doors I can't help but pine for a decent library. AC has about 1/2 the books in the poorly organized children's section, and the adult section is filled with antiquated rejects. Libraries in America are often more than just a place to get books; they're often the best resource for community events and programs. We were certainly spoiled by the Columbia County Libraries, and Handley Regional Libraries. 

Roman Holiday

Traveling is often like rolling dice. Simply put, you never know what you're going to end up with.

Traveling with a toddler is more like playing Russian Roulette. The consequences of "bad luck" much more devastating than a bad roll of the dice.

I'm not much of a gambler myself, but decided that the odds were in our favor when planning a trip to Rome with AC the day after Christmas. She is after all, a well-traveled two year old. 

Rome is arguably the most historically significant city in the world (at the very least, the Western world). To say that I was dying to see the city that lies just 2 hours north of our Napoli is an understatement. Rome has long been at the top of my "bucket list" cities. The history, art, and architecture contained within Rome are beyond comprehension.

It would be impossible to see all of the Roman jewels in two days, but living so close I knew we'd have a return trip or two. I meticulously planned our activities and sights for our stay, accounting for everyone's needs and wishes. We were simply going to do the Caesar Shuffle (as Rick Steve's calls it), which consists of the Colosseum, The Roman Forum, Palatine Hill, and the Pantheon. We had to see the Trevi Fountain for AC, as that was the only thing she expressed interest in seeing. This itinerary seemed completely doable by most people's standards, as most of the sights are relatively close together.

My biggest mistake is not accounting for what we could do with a cranky toddler. We were all exhausted after opening presents for 4 hours on Christmas, and AC wanted no part of leaving her new trike and doll stroller the next day to go see some "ancient rubble". Pair that with the fact that Rome was having a record cold spell (according to one of our waiters), and our trip was doomed before we even checked into the hotel.

Upon our arrival we went out to lunch to kill time before our 3:00 pm hotel check-in. As expected, the food in Rome was superb, but felt a little more "touristy" than the food of Naples. Once we checked into our room at the Hotel Colosseum, AC decided she'd already had enough. Holding true to her two year old form she exclaimed that she didn't want to go anywhere else. Hmmph! Most sights in Rome close early during the winter months, so by the time we coaxed her out of her funk we barely had time to explore the Roman Forum. As I sipped my wine in the hotel that night I realized that the next day's schedule had to be readjusted.

AC: 10   Chief and I: 1

After a frigid romp through the Colosseum in the morning we strolled to the Trevi Fountain. I new the grand fountain would cheer her up, and it did deliver. She enjoyed throwing her coin into the fountain. Although, I'm fairly certain that if she realized that throwing a coin in the fountain ensured a return trip to Rome, she would have pocketed the coins in a heartbeat. Chief later confessed that he was desperately looking for more coins to give her and could only find €1 coins. Hah!

AC: 15   Chief and I: -10 (€)

In reality the hardest part about traveling in Rome with a toddler is that there really is no place to go to escape the hustle and bustle of the city. Sure, there are stunning piazzas every which way you turn, but no true green space exists in Rome's historic districts. The Central Park and Hyde Park that other great cities of the world boast are not to be found in this ancient city. 

Despite a few bad moods, tantrums, freezing temperatures, and some wrong turns we did enjoy our Roman getaway. It certainly was memorable! I look forward to going back in warmer weather with high hopes that the odds of traveling with my (typically) sweet toddler really WILL be in my favor!

Buon Anno

Buon Anno (Happy New Year) as they say here in Italia!

We had a wonderful, joyous, and peaceful Christmas and New Year. I never take the fact that we are all together for granted, for Chief and I have spent too many holidays apart. However, we did miss our Stateside family and friends with all of our hearts.

2010 was a year of change for us, and I am hoping that 2011 can be a year of combined relaxation and adventure. It's hard to believe that this time last year we were just settling into our new dwelling in Augusta, Georgia. Two big moves in one year is enough for me, thank you!

Unfortunately we were without Internet services for 3 weeks. Unreliable Internet service (or any service for that matter) is nothing new to this area, but it's particularly frustrating when we don't have the "connections" required to fix these problems. By "connections", I mean that in order for your grievances to be heard you need to know someone (who knows someone, who knows someone). Couple our lack of connections with the fact that we needed help during the Holidays (Christmas to The Day of the Epiphany {Jan. 6th} in Italy) and we were simply out of luck.

Thus, I have resolved to be more accepting of the service industry in Southern Italy in 2011. A Herculean feat if achieved!

And maybe to acquire a connection or two.